‘Now we get ourselves to the Moon, preferably before the first of the growths makes an appearance here. Are you with me on that?’

‘Yes, I . . . guess.’

‘Good.’ Mitchell turned to him just by the gate. ‘But, before we do that, there’s something I need you to do for me. You used to work for Arcorex, didn’t you? Down Omaha way?’

‘Sure.’ Jeff nodded. ‘That’s where they always take the Founder artefacts, after they arrive. Why?’

‘Do you still have clearance? Can you still get inside there?’

Jeff shrugged, looking bewildered. ‘I don’t know, maybe . . . unless it’s been revoked. I wouldn’t know until I tried, but I haven’t been there in a couple of years.’

‘Good.’ Mitchell chewed his lower lip for a moment, then nodded as if coming to a decision. ‘That’s where we’re going next.’

‘Arcorex? What in God’s name could you need from Arcorex?’ Jeff demanded. ‘First you won’t help me recover those files, then you tell me you want us to go to the Moon, and now you want to take a detour via Omaha?’

Mitchell let out a heavy sigh. ‘I swear I’ll explain everything to you on the way. Until then, I just need you to trust me. It’ll all become clear by the time we get there, I promise you.’

Jeff gave a strangled laugh. ‘Maybe you should just tell me now. Why Arcorex?’

‘You sound like you don’t trust me.’

Jeff let his hands flap against his sides, in a gesture of helplessness. ‘I don’t know who to trust, Mitch. I never thought I’d . . .’

‘Screw up this badly?’

Jeff glared at him, his fists bunching.

‘Look,’ said Mitchell, ‘I swear, we’ll talk on the way.’

‘It’s going to have to be a really good explanation.’

‘It is.’

‘All right.’ Jeff managed to push his anger and frustration back down into the same place he’d been keeping them bottled up for the past few days. ‘But I’ve got a condition of my own.’

‘What?’

‘Olivia.’

‘Your ex-wife?’ Mitchell shook his head, clearly confused. ‘What about her?’

‘When we head to the Moon, she’s coming with us.’

Mitchell gaped at him, his mouth hanging open. ‘Jeff—’

‘No.’ The muscles in Jeff’s jaw tightened. ‘That’s not up for negotiation – not if you want me to get you inside Arcorex.’

Mitchell sighed again. ‘It’s going to complicate things, a lot.’

‘Even so.’

Mitchell shook his head wearily. ‘Fine.’ He led Jeff out on to the street. ‘We’ll fetch Olivia, but right now I’ve got a ride waiting for us.’ He pointed to a van with a silver finish parked on the kerb.

‘Tell me what’s in Arcorex,’ Jeff demanded.

‘Somebody we need to rescue.’

‘It’s not a prison, Mitch. They don’t keep people locked up there.’